Footing



July 4, 944. R. LE TOURNEAU A i V 2,3525904 FOQTINGv original Filed Deo.v 24, 1941 .Fig-1.

INVENTOR RG. Leburneaw www@ HTTYS v Patented July 4, 1944 1 @1: p if.

FOOTING Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, Ill., assgnor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif., a corporation of California Original application December 24, 1941, Serial No.

Divided and this application October 6, 1942, Serial No. 460,959

(Cl. 18S- 42) 4 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to an improved ground engaging footing for a structure supporting pier or post, and in particular the invention is directed to, and it is the principal object to provide, a unique footing for the supporting posts of an overhead structure, as for example the Portable overpass shown in copending application, Serial No. 424,342, of which the instant application is a division.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ground-engaging footing for attachment to the lower end of a pier or post, designed to not only conform readily to ground conditions, but also to serve effectively as a wheel guard, where the footing is disposed adjacent a vehicular roadway.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a metallic footing which is of frusto-conical configuration in elevation, and of clover-leaf configuration in plan; the post to be supported projecting into an opening in the upper end of said footing, and the upper edge of the latter `symmetrically surrounding the post and being welded thereto along a vertically undulating line.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a rectangular metallic post looking downward toward the attached footing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the lower end of a post showing the unique form of clover-leaf footing secured thereto.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the segments of the clover-leaf footing.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the footing is of substantially frusta-conical configuration in elevation and is constructed of a plurality of segments l of the frustum of a hollow cone; these segments being welded together, as at 2, in edge by edge relation, whereby the resulting footing is of clover-leaf design in plan, and each segment at the base is substantially 180 in arcuate extent as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The upper end of each segment I is notched downwardly as at 3', and in the assembled footing each of these notches engages a corner 4 of a square metallic post 5 and extends half way across the adjacent sides 6 thereof; the lower end portion of the post projecting some distance into the footing, but terminating at its lower end 1 short of the ground.

By virtue of the notching 3, the line of contact between the upper end or edge of the cloverleaf footing and the corresponding portion of post 5 is Zig-zag or undulated. This is very advantageous for the reasonthat the footing is welded along this line to the post, and an undulating burn does not tend to weaken the post as would a straight-around burn on the same.

Due to variance in ground elevation between different supporting posts 5, the footings are initially separate from said posts; the latter be ing of sufcient length to permit the footings to be welded in place thereon in such relative vertical positions as conditions may require to seat the footings on the ground. Also each footing initially has a, certain amount of loose play relative to the corresponding post, whereby to enable such footing to be adjusted to ground contour and then welded to the post.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that 1 have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hollow upstanding footing for a vertical, structure-supporting post; said footing having a post receiving opening at its upper end, being substantially frusta-conical in elevation, and having a lower ground engaging edge of cloverleaf configuration in plan.

2. A ground engaging footing for a vertical, structure-supporting post; said footing comprising a plurality of initially separate segments of the frustum of a cone, each segment at the base being substantially in arcuate extent; said segments being welded' together along adjacent edges.

3. A ground engaging footing for a vertical, structure-supporting post; said footing comprising a plurality of initially separate segments of the frustum of a cone, said segments being ners of the post engage, said notched edges being welded to the post.

4. The method of mounting arvertical structure-supporting post in connection with a. hollow frusto-conical footing into which the post projects from above with a loose t, said method a consisting in seating the footing on the ground in its nal position, maintaining the post projected into the footing but clear of the ground. and welding the footing to the post along the upper edge of the footing and so that the welding forms the sole stress-transmitting means between the footing and post.

ROBERT G; LE TOURNEAU. 

